THE AKAROA REPRESENTATIVES.

Globe, Volume II, Issue 148, 24 November 1874, Page 2

THE AKAROA REPRESENTATIVES.

To the Editor of the Qlohc, Sir, —In your paper lately I noticed a letter signed “ A Voice from Akaroa, ” on the subject of our representatives. In that letter a great deal was written about our representatives, particularly Mr Moorhouse, Mr Rolleston, and Mr Montgomery. Of course Mr Rolleston is our representative only in his capacity of Superintendent, and with him we are perfectly satisfied, with the exception of one little instance, and that was when ho busied himself about Mr Montgomery’s election. It appears r to me that the latter gentleman traded upon the Superintendent’s popularity. I, for one, voted for Mr Montgomery from the advice of the Superintendent, and if it had not been for that gentleman, I should have voted for Mr Pilliet because, as Resident Magistrate I liked him, and because I prefer being represented by a local man. Knowing, however, that the Superintendent was a friend to Akaroa, I listened to his advice, and was convinced that on account of Mr Montgomery’s high and influential character as a politician, he Avould be likely to do more for us than Mr Pilliet could. But I must return to my former love, and I hope that at our next election, we shall see the utility of returning a local man, one whose interests are wrapped up' with ours. If our local member is not quite so clever, is not, in fact, possessed of that tremendous “sweat of intellect” of some of our “great men,” he will work for us with a good will. I do not believe in those great individuals coming to Akaroa whose interests are foreign to ours, and promising us everything for the sake of being returned, and then as your correspondent remarks “letting us drop like a wet rag.” Mr Montgomery puts me very much in mind of a “now chum ” Avho came amongst us a short time ago, and Avho Avanted to make friends Avith the Maoris. Ho professed that lie Avas going to be very good to them. One of the more knoAving Maoris questioned him on the subject, and asked him if he Avould give them tobacco ? Ncav chum replied yes ! Maori : You giA r e flour? New chum : Yes! You give sugar ? Yes! You give blankets ? Yes ! You give Avaipera ? Yes ! “You give everything,” and the Maori turned on his heel, and Avith Maori sarcasm, said “You too b good !” So Avhen Mr Montgomery cam r assed us for our votes, he told us that Ave wanted lots of jetties, Avharves, and harbor works—that he Avould see about Lake Ellesmere being drained, and also Lake Forsyth, and that avc should have a railway, ami that our surveys, Avhich are in a most deplorable condition, should be put right. And hoav, after both the Provincial Council and the General Assembly has had a sitting, avc may safely give Mr Montgomery the same ans Aver as the Maori gave the new chum. Noav, let us see Avhat Mr Pilliet, Avhom Ave refused as

our member for the Assembly for the sake of sending Mr Montgomery (our great bowwow) has clone. Mr Pillict succeeded in being returned for the Provincial Council without having to make more than reasonable promises, and he has been as good as Ins word. He fought for our roads and our bridges, also for our jetties, and for what was reasonable and he got what he asked for I believe. But he did more than this he thoroughly ventilated that important and much vexed question, viz, the disgraceful state of the Bank’s Peninsula, surveys. Now, did Mr Montgomery or the Government of which he forms such a distinguished member, help Mr Pilliet in this ? No, they did not; but I’ll tell you what they did, they thwarted him in every possible way, and one of them went so far as to say that the Government had heard of no complaints. Now we represented to Mr Montgomery, I should think, a thousand times during his canvas, the disgraceful state of our surveys, and can anyone believe that he had not mentioned it to his Government ? That member of the Government who stated that the Government had never heard of any complaints about the bad state or the surveys on the Peninsula, is a very truthful man, so we must conclude that Mr Montgomery did not mention it to his colleagues. I write this letter in order to put our people on the alert, so that if we want a friend to represent us when the next election comes on, we must look amongst ourselves to find one. Yours, &c, ANTI-HUMBUG. Akaroa, November 16th, 1874. P.S.—I think, Mr Editor, it is a pity more numbers of your paper are not sent to Akaroa. We want an indepent paper to express our views occasionally.